Winter's Heart/Chapter 11
Summary : Rand opens a gateway into the attic of the Royal Palace. Min is with him. Rand finds that these days it is becoming difficult for him to hold saidin as it makes him tremendously sick. In fact, Lews Therin begs him to release it. Rand is disguised as an incredibly ugly man with a very unattractive wart on his nose, using a Mask of Mirrors. Min wants him to go see Elayne and Aviendha, but he refuses. He wants to talk to Nynaeve and Mat. They creep downstairs, but run into Reene Harfor. Min tells her that "Nuli" is supposed to give something to Nynaeve Sedai immediately. Mistress Harfor "dislikes the looks of Nuli." Min tells Mistress Harfor to lead Nuli to Nynaeve, and then runs away. As they walk through passages, Rand can feel there are several women channeling even though Harfor tells him there are only five Aes Sedai present. Rand wonders about the rumor of an army with one hundred Aes Sedai heading to Caemlyn. Rand thinks of Mat, and there is a flash of color that resembles Mat's face. : Nynaeve is giving a lesson to Talaan while Zaida and six other Windfinders watch. Nynaeve is glad that Renaile is not among the women present; she is the worst. Nynaeve fumes that Vandene refuses to give lessons, with the excuse that Kirstian and Zarya are keeping her occupied. Careane gave lessons the day before. Sareitha Tomares was supposed to be the teacher that day, but she slipped out of the Royal Palace on "important business". Nynaeve attacks Talaan and manages to Shield her. The next round, Talaan shields Nynaeve. When Talaan is about to release her shield and weaves of Air around the Aes Sedai, Zaida tells her to wait. They want to find out if Nynaeve can break through the shield; she had commented earlier that only people much stronger than their captor in the Power can break through shields. When Nynaeve begins to grow terrified, Zaida threatens to turn her upside down. Nynaeve begins to search the shield frantically, searching for a soft spot. She finds one, but cannot break through. Finally, Zaida believes her and sets her free. Fuming, Nynaeve stalks out of the room, where she bumps into Alivia, who tells her Reanne Corly and other Kinswomen want her to have dinner with them. When Nynaeve refuses, Alivia hints that Corly's "offer" was more a demand, but Nynaeve refuses to hear a word of it. As Nynaeve continues to her rooms, Talaan runs up to her and begs her to let her go to the White Tower as a novice. She says that she wants to leave, because she is perpetually punished by members of her own family so as not to show favoritism. When Nynaeve does not know what to say and stammers a bit, Talaan takes it as a "yes" and runs away gleefully. Lan joins Nynaeve and they head to their rooms. Reene Harfor is waiting there with an ugly man, who names Mistress Thane and Cenn Buie, back in the Two Rivers. Nynaeve tells Reene to leave, and tells the man to tell her who he really is. Instead of replying, he turns into Rand. They ask if he is hiding. He replies that he is only until he can kill some men. Nynaeve tells him that Egwene is the Amyrlin Seat and she has an army of three hundred Aes Sedai. He asks if Mat is with Egwene, and then staggers. Nynaeve Delves him, but cannot touch the two evil wounds as they seem to be protected by a ward of saidin. Rand wants her to hold the access keys to the Choedan Kal while he kills those that tried to kill him, but she insists on going with him. Characters * Rand / Nuli * Lews Therin * Min * Nynaeve * Reene * Talaan * Senine * Zaida * Shielyn * Rainyn * Kurin * Caire din Gelyn Running Wave * Tebreille din Gelyn South Wind * Alivia * Lan Referenced * Elayne * Aviendha * Mat * Elaida * Sareitha * Careane * Vandene * Kirstian * Zarya * Merilille * Nesta din Reas Two Moons * Renaile din Calon Blue Star * Egwene * Reanne Corly * Chilares Arman * Famelle Juarde * Sumeko * Cenn Buie * Ehvon * Alise * Mistress Thane * Moghedien Places * Royal Palace of Andor Referenced * Andor * Stone of Tear * Caemlyn * Tear * Cairhien (city) * Falme